Illuminated ornament



Aug. 26, 1969 c. FRANC ILLUMINATED ORNAMENT Filed April '7, 1967 FIG.

llVVE/VTOR CHARLES FRANC United States Patent 3,463,918 ILLUMINATEDORNAMENT Charles Franc, 1501 1st Ave., New York, N.Y.

Filed Apr. 7, 1967, Ser. No. 629,282 Int. Cl. E21 N02 US. Cl. 240-10 8Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Summary of the invention My ornamentis provided with a flat electrically insulated support member. Aplurality of miniature lamps, each mounted within its own reflector aredetachably secured to one surface of the member in spaced apartpositions. Electric conductors secured to this surface interconnect thelamps to a line cord whereby when the cord is connected to a source ofpower such as house current, the lamps are lit. Ornamental cover meansis detachably securable to the member in such manner that the lamps areconcealed. This means also has a like plurality of transparent ortranslucent regions, each of which overlies a hole in the memberexposing a corresponding lamp. The light from the lamps passing throughthese regions together with the ornamentation of the cover means itselfproduces an extremely pleasing and unusual ornamental effect.

My ornament can take the shape of a rectangular or card shape. Ifdesired, two or more such ornaments or cards can be electricallyinterconnected to produce an enhanced ornamental elfect.

Brief description of the drawings In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective front view of one form of my invention in whicha plurality of illuminated ornaments are interconnected;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the parts of one ornament shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the ornament of FIG. 2 is assembledform;

FIG. 4 shows detail front and side views of a lamp and reflector used inmy invention; and

FIG. 5 is a rear view of the ornament of FIG. 2.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments Referring now to FIGS. l-5a flat electrically insulated support member (which is shown as arectangular plate but can have any shape) has secured thereto aplurality of flat miniature lamp sockets 12, each of which is adapted toreceive detachably a miniature lamp 14. Each lamp and socket is adaptedto detachably snap fit within a corresponding reflector 16 to form aseparatable integral unit. The lamps can be all of the same color or canbe of diflerent colors. Plate 10 has holes 11 exposing each lamp. All ofthe lamps are connected in series by insulated conductors 20 to a linecord 22. This cord 22 can be connected to a conventional line plug 24and/or to 3,463,918 Patented Aug. 26, 1969 separate male and femaleconnectors 26 and 28. A detachable ornamental cover 30, which takes theform of candles, bells, trees or the like but can have any shape, coloror design, is detachably securable via separators 32 to rear plate '18to incase the lamps, and also overlaps and is secured to member 10.Cover 30 has a plurality of transparent or translucent regions 34, eachof which is in registration with the hole 11 exposing the correspondinglamp and permits the light of the lamp to pass therethrough to enhancethe ornamental etfect. Plate 18 can have a collapsible stand 36 securedto the rear thereof to permit the ornament to stand almost upright on asuit able surface. For added strength, an intermediate layer or sheet 48of insulated material can be secured to the rear surface of plate 18. Inthis case sheet 48 should have holes in registration with holes 42. Therear surface of plate 18 can be partially covered with an adhesivecoating 40 protected by a removable backing strip 38 as shown in FIG. 5.Once strip 38 is pulled away, the plate can be placed coating side downon a suitable surface to secure the unit thereto. The line card orconnectors can extend out of aligned holes 42 in sheet 38 and plate 18.

Various other securing means such as a pin or prong can be used in placeof the adhesive coating.

By interconnecting detachably the male and female connectors 26 and 28of different units which thus interconnect each complete unit, and thenconnecting the line cord to a suitable source such as a wall sockethaving supplied thereto a single phase alternating voltage (for examplevolts) at 60 cycles per second frequency, all units will be illuminatedto produce a composite design.

-If desired, these units can be designed to be physically interlocked toproduce large composite illuminated panels.

While I have described my invention with particular reference to thedrawings, my protection is to be limited only by the terms of the claimswhich follow.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1. An electrically illuminated ornament comprising:

a flat insulated support member having a plurality of holes,

a plurality of miniature lamps each detachably secured to one surface ofsaid support member and aligned with the corresponding holes,

an electrical line cord for coupling to an electrical power source,

electrical conductor means secured to said one surface andinterconnecting said lamps to said line cord,

ornamental cover means detachably secured to the other surface of saidsupport member, and including light transmitting regions each of whichoverlies a corresponding hole to expose each corresponding lamp,

a plurality of lamp sockets secured to said one surface and electricallyconnected to said conductor means and said line cord, each lamp beingdetachably securable in a corresponding socket, and

a plurality of lamp reflectors each reflector being secured to one ofsaid lamp sockets and aligned with said corresponding holes.

2. The electrically illuminated ornament as recited in claim 1additionally comprising a rear panel member, and spacers interposedbetween said rear panel member and said support member for enclosingsaid ornament.

3. The electrically illuminated ornament as recited in claim 2 whereinthe rear surface of said panel comprises an adhesive coating fordetachable securement of said rear panel to a supporting surface.

4. The electrically illuminated ornament as recited in claim 2 whereinsaid ornamental cover means comprises a Chirstmas tree having lighttransmitting regions disposed throughout the design of the tree.

5. The electrically illuminated ornament as recited in claim 2 whereinsaid ornamental cover means comprises at least one candle having saidlight transmitting regions disposed at the end of said candle.

6. The electrically illuminated ornament as recited in 5 claim 2 whereinsaid ornamental cover means comprises at least one Christmas treeornament having at least one of said light transmitting regions disposedwithin said ornament.

7. The ornament as recited in claim 2 wherein said light transmittingregions in said cover means are transparent.

8. The ornament as recited in claim 2 wherein said light transmittingregions of said cover means are translucent.

4 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,115,358 4/1938 Buschman 240101,735,180 11/1929 Raymond 24010 OTHER REFERENCES Christmas Lighting,October 1947, p. 3, published by General Electric Engineering Division;copy in 240-10T.

NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner D. S. STALLARD, Assistant Examiner

